Final and Best Year
by BasketballGurl31
Summary: It starts out as the summer before the gangs final year at Hogwarts. Then eventually gets to the school year. Many, many things change to make the year the best ever. H/Hr..plez R&R. NO FLAMES!! plez!! i'm sry it's takin so long to get chapter 5 done.
1. Leaky Cauldron

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. JK Rowling does. (She's so lucky) ~! This is only my second fic so if you have any ideas on how to make it better, plez, tell me. Enjoy !~  
  
Chapter 1: Leaky Cauldron- First Week  
  
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Chloe, Andrew, and Lavender had just entered the Leaky Cauldron. It was only the 2nd week of the summer holidays and they had decided that it would be best for them to stay at the Leaky Cauldron for the entire summer so they could spend it together. This was their last summer holiday that would be ending in them returning to Hogwarts. For this was the summer before their 7th and final year at Hogwarts.  
  
"We are going to make this the most memorable summer ever!!" Hermione whispered to her cousin as they walked up to the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron, Tom, to get their rooms. The three girls planed to stay together in a room separate, but next to, the boys. That way, nothing would happen. * Snicker *  
  
"Hello Tom. Do you have 2, 3 people, rooms that are available?" Harry asked for the rooms politely.  
  
"Well hello there Harry, guys. You're in luck. I have 2 rooms left. If you'd like I can take you to them. They'll be 2 galleons a night for the both of them," Tom gestured towards the staircases at his left.  
  
"Thanks Tom," they all said in unison as they followed him up the stairs to find their rooms. Hermione put a spell on their trunks so they would float behind them and up the stairs which made it easier and a lighter load for all of them to lug with them.  
  
"Here you are. Room # 7 and room # 8. I believe that the girls would find room 8 most suitable for their comfort and, boys, I believe that room 7 would be the most suitable for you. Make yourselves at home and if you need me for anything I'll be down at the front desk. You can come down anytime. I believe you know the way to Diagon Ally so I need not to tell you that. Also, you're parents each sent an owl this morning notifying me that you cannot visit the muggle world during your first month here." Seeing the looks on all of their faces he hastily added, "Yes, yes, I believe that you should be old enough to do what you please while you are away from home but I suggest that you all listen to your parents. You never know, you could have a lot more fun here in Diagon Ally than you think." With that, he said good-bye and headed back down to his desk. "Well that sucks! We aren't even allowed to venture out and do what we please in both worlds," Ron complained. Ron had majorly matured in many ways the past couple of years. Quite a few inches had been added to his height and he had acquired quite the assortment of muscles. Of course, his flaming, red hair would never change but this year it made him look even more handsome.  
  
But no guy would be able to top how handsome Harry had grown. Sure, he still had his untidy, jet black hair and emerald green eyes but he had changed in many way as well as Ron. He too had added inches to his height, although, Ron was still the tallest of them all. In place of his glasses he now wore contacts which made him look twice as handsome. Harry had also become quite muscular over the past couple of years. It's no wonder that Hermione was beginning to fall in love with him. For as well as all of his physical changes he had also become more caring, trusting, and kind.  
  
The 6 of them decided to put their stuff in their rooms, unpack it, and then head on down to Diagon Ally to get some money and enjoy the nice day it was out.  
  
~! End. Plez R&R. I know its short but I promise that the next chapter will be longer. !~ 


	2. Diagon Ally

Chapter 2: Diagon Ally  
  
The girls were unpacking without saying a word to each other. Lavender was the first to speak, "Have either of you noticed the differences that have overtaken Ron and Harry?"  
  
Hermione of course was the first to reply, "Yes, I have noticed the changes. And personally I kind of like the new changes that Harry has brought on. Wait a minute! You must like one of them Lavender, otherwise you wouldn't have noticed." The reason Hermione was saying this was because she had liked Harry for two years now but didn't tell anyone, not even Chloe.  
  
"Yeah, so what? Okay, truth be told, I like Ron and have since the beginning of last year! Well, now that I've gotten that out, why did you notice Hermione? Is it because you like Harry? C'mon, you can tell us. We're your girls," Lavender truthfully admitted.  
  
They all were silent for the next couple of minutes until Hermione finally spilled the beans. "Okay, yes, I do like Harry and I have for over two years. I never told anyone," she noticed the look on Chloe's face, "because I was afraid to let anyone know. So, I've been admiring from afar. I know Chloe, I should've told you but I was even afraid to tell you. So there, now it's out in the open. Ya happy?"  
  
The three of them laughed for a moment as they finished unpacking. Once they had finished they went and knocked on the boy's door to check if they were finished yet. From the inside of the door they heard Ron yell, "Come in!" They opened the door to find all three boys wrestling on the beds! Hermione had to yell really loud to get them to stop, "What the heck do you guys think you're doing?! We thought you were more mature than this! I guess we thought wrong!!" All three boys stopped and looked up to find the girls standing there with their arms crossed against their chests and stern Professor McGonagall looks on their faces.  
  
"Have any of you even unpacked yet? I thought we were supposed to unpack and then meet out at the entrance to Diagon Ally. Not wrestle!!" Lavender yelled, keeping the McGonagall look on her face.  
  
"Yes, we unpacked. We were just waiting for you guys to finish so we decided to have a little fun," Harry quickly replied. "Oh, I see. You guys thought that since we usually take longer you'd just wait until we came and got you guys," Hermione burst out angrily. The six of them stood there in silence for around five minutes as the boys pondered what Hermione had just said to them. Andrew was the first to speak, "We're sorry girls. We were just having so much fun we forgot to go and tell you guys. Chloe, Hermione, Lavender, can you please forgive us? And could we head over to Diagon Ally now?"  
  
"I don't know Andrew. I mean, you guys were acting completely childish and were inconsiderate but since we aren't here to discipline like we are at school. What do you think girls?' Chloe replied. They decided upon forgiving the guys and heading out to Diagon Ally were they would be able to have a lot more fun than if the girls had punished the guys.  
  
First off they headed to buy ice cream and chat. As they were passing by the broom shop the newest style broom caught Harry's eye. It was the new Lightningbolt 4000. Harry still happened to have last years model of the Lightningbolt 2000 and since this year is his last year as the Gryffindor quidditch team captain and seeker so he wanted to be able to win the quidditch cup for Gryffindor house once again. In order to do so he was going to need a broom faster than any of the others. Of course since Draco Malfoy's father, Lucious, would be buying him the Lightningbolt 4000 as well so if Harry bought one he'd at least be on level playing grounds with Malfoy.  
  
"Hey, um, guys, do you think we could stop at Gringotts so I could get some money to get this broomstick for next year? I need this in order to ensure that the Gryffindor quidditch team gets the quidditch cup this year seeing as it's our last year," Harry mentioned to them as they passed the shop window.  
  
Hermione was the first to answer, "I don't care, how about the rest of you guys? Do you guys mind if we stop? I mean I need some more money as well." Since nobody else seemed to care if they stopped to get some more money, they made their way to Gringotts.  
  
When they stepped foot inside of Gringotts Harry had a flash back from the first time he entered the bank with Hagrid seven long years ago. When the goblins were unknown creatures to him since he was quite unfamiliar with the magical world. But now they were one of the most familiar things to him in the magical world.  
  
After collecting their money from their vaults Harry headed out to buy his new Lightningbolt 4000 while the others headed back to their rooms at the Leaky Cauldron to get ready to have dinner. Of course, Hermione offered to go with Harry to buy his new broomstick. Little did Harry know that the only reason she wanted to go with Harry was because she wanted to be with him since she liked him. Although, he did not know this and she didn't plan on telling him until they went back to school to fulfill their duties as Head Boy and Head Girl of Gryffindor house.  
  
"So Harry, with this broom you reckon we will win the quidditch cup for Gryffindor house again this year?" Hermione asked, attempting to make conversation with her best friend of seven years. "Exactly. Plus, Malfoy's father is probably going to buy him this same broomstick as well so I guess it just puts us on level playing grounds with the Slytherins. Now I've got a question for you."  
  
"Okay, what is it Harry?" Hermione asked with a tone of suspicion in her voice. "Well, I've noticed that you've been acting different lately than how you've ever acted before. And I was wondering why that is." Hermione had no idea on how to answer Harry. The reason that she was acting slightly different was because she's in love with Harry but she can't tell him that now otherwise her plan will be ruined. But what should she tell him?  
  
Hermione's POV:  
  
I can't tell him now otherwise everything will go wrong. What should I tell him? What's an excuse that he will actually buy? Crap! I'm in trouble unless I can come up with an excuse extremely fast. If I told him I like him now then everything over the past few years will all add up in his head and then our entire summer will be ruined. But if I don't tell him then I will be living a lie, not like I'm not already but still.  
  
(Out of Hermione's POV)  
  
"Well Harry, it's just, well, I've been going through some tough times," she lied, "and so I've been thinking that maybe I could look to you for help. But now that I think about it, I don't think I need help," she added hastily, noticing the look on his face. "I think I'll go back to the Leaky Cauldron with the others if you don't mind. I think you can handle buying your broom by yourself. See you later." And with that Hermione left the Broomstick shop before Harry could put in another word.  
  
~! End! And like I promised, it's longer than chapter 1 was. Plez R&R. Chapter 3 should be up soon unless I get another writers block. !~ 


	3. Dinner

~! Okay, plez don't get mad if this doesn't sound like the Hermione we all know from the books. Plez remember that this is my story and I can write it how I want. The only reason I'm saying this is becuz I got a flame for my other story for Hermione being a little different from the way she is in the books. Plez, I remind you, plez no flames. Thanx!! !~  
  
Chapter 3: Dinner at The Leaky Cauldron  
  
Hermione arrived back at the Leaky Cauldron and rushed up to her room to fill Chloe and Lavender in on her close encounter of almost telling Harry her secret. She burst through the door of their room making Chloe and Lavender almost have a heart attack! "Oh my god Hermione! What's wrong?? What happened? Where's Harry?" Chloe questioned her.  
  
"Well, lets see," she stopped to catch her breath, "Harry is still in the Broomstick shop buying his lightningbolt 4000. You see, he asked me why I had been acting so strange lately and if I told him the truth I would have had to tell him that I love him and I so totally don't want to tell him that. So, I made up the excuse that I was going through some tough times and thought I could look to him for help and then said I didn't think I needed it when I saw the confused look on his face and the said I'd better get going back to you guys. And then I just left and ran back here. Now, I think that this summer is going to become not as fun as it could've been. Darn it!! Why couldn't I have told the truth to the man I love?" Hermione asked herself out loud.  
  
"Well, it does look like you're in some mess. But I think we can fix it later. Right now we need to be getting read for dinner. We've only got a half hour and I want to look really good for Ron seeing as I like him and really want to catch his attention," Lavender said while turning slightly pink in the cheeks.  
  
Hermione and Chloe shared a short laugh and then proceeded on getting ready to have dinner with the guys. Hermione had put on a light, sparkly, blue eye shadow along with dark black mascara, peach lipstick, and a pale brown blush. Chloe had decided on wearing a bright pink eye shadow, mascara, mauve lipstick, and a peach blush. Lavender, of course, wore her metallic lavender eye shadow along with her metallic lavender lipstick, light peach lipstick, and very light lavender mascara and eye liner. With this look, she was almost positive she would catch the attention of Ron.  
  
Meanwhile, Harry had finally returned to the boys' room with his new broomstick in hand. Even with his new Lightningbolt 4000 in hand, he had a grim look on his face. "Uh oh Harry, I know what that look means. So, what happened this time?" Ron asked when he saw the look upon Harry face when he came into the room. He lay his new broom down on his bed and stared off into space for a minute or two before he answered Ron, "You see, Hermione has been acting really strange lately and I was beginning to believe that she loved me too so I asked her. Stupid me actually thought that!" He went to hit himself in the head with his hand but Ron grabbed it before he could, "Thanks Ron. Any ways, she said that she was going through tough times and wanted to look to me for help and comfort but then decided she didn't need to anymore and then left the shop."  
  
"Geez, that's harsh! I mean I've been noticing that too and I was also thinking that she liked you. But now that she said that I really think something is really up/wrong. I think I'll ask Lavender after dinner. But for now, lets just get ready for dinner and worry later," Ron replied to what Harry had just said. So, they got ready for dinner. Washed up, dressed nicer than they were all day, and Harry actually tried to tame his un- tamable hair. Of course, it didn't exactly work the way he wanted it to.  
  
It seemed to be that all six of them were finished getting ready at the same time because they both exited their rooms at the same time when they each thought they were going to have to get each other out of their rooms. "Hey guys. We thought you were going to be in the same predicament that you were in the last time we were planning to go some where but I guess we all ended up being ready on time so could we please head down to get some dinner now?" Lavender relayed as the girls saw the guys exit their room.  
  
"Sure. I'm starving!!!" Ron answered as they started heading down the stairs to enter the dining room of the Leaky Cauldron. This would be this first of many dinners they would be sharing together all summer.  
  
Chloe sat by Andrew while Hermione and Lavender sat by each other and Harry and Ron sat by each other. You see, Chloe and Andrew were going out but of course, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Lavender were just friends so they just didn't sit guy by girl, like Chloe and Andrew. Once everyone sat down, Tom sent someone over so they could order.  
  
After they ordered they went into deep conversation. "So, what do you think we should do this summer? I mean, we have like the entire summer to ourselves and no idea what to do with it," Hermione asked everyone.  
  
Everyone else just sat there with dumb founded looks on their faces. No one had actually thought about what they were going to be doing. Hermione of course, decided that she would tell Harry her feelings in mid- August so it wouldn't be to far from when school starts yet it wouldn't be during where they'd have a harder time getting alone where she could actually tell him.  
  
Meanwhile, Harry was thinking along the same lines. (Harry's POV) I have to tell her before school starts. Otherwise I'll never be able to tell her once school starts. I think I'll wait until sometime in August to tell her. Unless I come up with a better time before then, then I'll tell her then. (Exiting Harry's POV)  
  
You see, it's only the first week of July so both him and Hermione have a long way to go until they confront each other.  
  
While all of this was going on inside Harry and Hermione's heads, they all had their dinners and were ready to eat. Chloe noticed a spaced out look on Hermione's face and just had to ask, "Okay Hermione, now would be the time to come back to Earth from where ever you are. It's time to eat."  
  
"Oh, yeah, sorry bout that. I was just thinking," Hermione quickly said as she was brought back to reality from her daydream about Harry. Although, no one knew what it was she was thinking about and she didn't plan on telling any of them right now. But she did plan on telling the girls when they got back to their rooms after dinner.  
  
It took them a while but they did eventually finish dinner after trying to talk and eat at the same time.  
  
~! In about the 5th chapter Harry and Hermione will express their feelings for each other so hang in there until then. Plez review and remember.no flames!!! Thanx a bunch! !~ 


	4. Just the Beginning

~! Again I say, plez, no flames! Thanx and enjoy! !~  
  
Chapter 4: Just the Beginning  
  
As they walked up the stairs to their rooms for the night, they planned out what times they would be meeting for the day each and every morning. The boys weren't very keen on the time but they eventually gave in.  
  
They said their good-byes and entered their separate rooms. "Oh. My. God!" Hermione exclaimed as soon as their door was shut. "Okay. What is it now? I'm willing to bet that it's about Harry," Lavender asked, answering her.  
  
"Yes it is." Seeing the looks on their faces she quickly added, "But just hear me out. You would not believe how adorable he looked tonight! I know, I know, this doesn't sound like me but oooh, I can't help it! The reason I was spaced out at dinner was because I was in very deep thought about Harry but he shall NEVER know! Okay?" After they both nodded, she continued, " I was going to tell him mid-August but I've decided the sooner the better. So, you guys are going to help me get him alone next week by keeping Ron and Andrew away and occupied. Do you think you could please do that for me?" Lavender and Chloe afraid as they got ready for bed and fell asleep.  
  
For the next week the girls acted strangely6 towards Harry. Yeah, sure, they knew more than he does but he'll soon find out. The way Lavender always giggled whenever she saw Harry talking to Hermione made everyone, even Chloe and Hermione, Look strangely at her. Little did Harry know what he was in for next week.  
  
On the day before Hermione was going to tell Harry her feelings for him she sat down with Chloe and Lavender in their room to talk to them about something.  
  
"Okay guys, I'm soooo nervous about tomorrow! I just hope today goes good so hopefully tomorrow will too. I know I sound like a quidditch captain, Oliver Wood as Harry would say, but I can't help it. God I'm so nervous! Any ways, I guess we'd better get down to breakfast with the boys now.  
  
"Alright, I guess we'd better," Chloe answered as they headed out the door, they all made a sharp turn and almost knocked into the boys turning their way to get them. "Woah! Guess we're just on time," Ron said as he looked deep into Lavender's eyes, just now noticing how beautiful she was, "Ummmm, Lavender, can I please talk to you, a lone, for a minute?"  
  
Lavender nodded as they went into the girls' room to talk. Everyone just as well assumed that they'd be down when they werefinish4d so the remaining four walked down to grab a table for them all.  
  
"So, Ron, what is it you want to talk to me about?" Lavender asked with a sweet tone in her voice. "Well, I was jut noticing something about you. You've turned so beautiful over the years and I just was really noticing it this morning. Now, I have a question," He saw her look anxiously at him so he continued, "Lavender, will you go out with me? I love you so much and that's no lie!" Ron asked with a touch of nervousness in his voice.  
  
Lavender squealed with joy as he said those words. "Oh my gosh Ron! I love you too and that's no lie either. Yes! I'll so totally go out with you!" She jumped out of her seat, ran to Ron, and gave him a hug! "Wicked! We've just gotta tell the others now so lets head down to breakfast, plus, I'm quiet hungry." They both laughed a moment then headed downstairs.  
  
When Lavender and Ron told the others they were so happy for them. Hermione was the happiest because she knew that for sure she'd be able to get Harry alone tomorrow. She now felt less and less nervous. Especially since she had to sit by him at breakfast, lunch, and dinner that day so she thought it was going to be quite a lot easier than she thought it would be before.  
  
~! End! I know..it's sappy but I can't help it. And I'm sorry that it's shorter than the last few but next chapter will be much longer. And, the next chapter gets exciting and yes, still kind of sappy but it gets better. Plez R&R & NO FLAMES plez! Thanx! !~ 


End file.
